Fighting For My Life
by wisegirl2772
Summary: Trust me when I say this, but I truly didn't want to follow in my mom's footsteps, especially if it meant I was going to be chased around the world, for the rest of my life by supposed mythological monsters, but if I can I meet my dad, hey that's a win.
1. Chapter 1

I never meant to ruin my mom's vacation. It's not my fault! I mean who expects to be attacked by some giant horned creature on the beach? Really, I mean there I am swimming, with my mom sitting on the beach reading one of her crazy seven inch thick novels, when this monster comes crashing through some dunes and straight towards my mom and I. You can bet I was even more surprised when my mom jumped up with a dagger.

I bet you are wondering what kind of normal mom carries around a dagger. Well, if you must know, my mom isn't really normal, and I am the complete opposite.

My name is Cassie Chase. I'm fifteen years old, and up until beginning of last April, my life was going great. Then everything was messed up. I'm always getting into trouble, even though most of the time it isn't my fault… I think. Could you say I'm a trouble make? Umm… yeah totally.

I guess the trouble really started when I was in class one day. It was my favorite class, Latin. It's the easiest class and probably the only one I will ever enjoy. We learned everything in that class, from the language to the gods.

Most classes are torture, especially for me because all teachers seem to have some vendetta against me. Maybe it's because I like playing pranks or it might be because I don't pay attention to anything the teachers say. What do you expect? Mr. Brunner is the only teacher who doesn't put students to sleep.

Mr. Brunner is my crazy Latin teacher. He always wears this tweed jacket and he sits in a wheel chair with a blanket on his lap. Even though he is in a wheel chair, he always is coming up with fun lessons, like arena days where we take on the part of gladiators and fight to the death… or until we can't name someone, their spouse, children, ancestors, and the god they worshipped. Even test days aren't that bad, mostly because Mr. Brunner gives away the answers by putting them in the directions. He does that all the time.

But it's on days like my last day of school, before spring break, where we debate the powers of the gods that I have the most fun. It never starts out as a debate, but then someone says the infamous line "well in my opinion (insert god/goddess of your choice) is the best," which just sets everyone off, and soon everyone is taking sides and talking at once.

You may be asking which god/goddess I think is best, but I don't exactly know. My mom thinks Athena is really important, mostly because she used to hang out with people who were really into mythology at some summer camp for geeks, which is where she met my dad. But I have no idea who my dad thought was most important because he hasn't been around since before I was born. All I really know about him is that he has dark hair, bright eyes, and he used to live in New York. Really helpful, right?

Any way, back to the debate. I wasn't really paying attention during class that afternoon, not until people started shouting. It was the shouting that caught my attention, and it took me a moment to realize that everyone was talking at once. I wasn't until I heard someone yell "No, it's Zeus!" that I realized we had gotten back into the gods debate. _Again._ As I listened to everyone, I noticed Mr. Brunner pull out a whistle, and I instinctively covered my ears. But even with my covered ears, I could hear the shrill blast from his whistle. I knew that some students had bought it for him after out first few debates, two ending in nosebleeds and the other ending in a blown up classroom (don't ask!).

When the blast had ended, everyone was staring at Mr. Brunner, who pulled the whistle away from his face. "Well," he started. "How about today we pick two gods, male and female and debate over them?" Everyone glanced at each other before nodding to their teacher. "So let's see," he said. "How about Poseidon for the god, and hmmm…. Athena for the goddess." He looked at us, how looked back at him. "Well, get on with it. Pick your sides."

We looked at each other, before jumping up and choosing sides. I took a moment, thinking over my decision. Usually I would go straight for Athena, but something inside of me seemed to pull me towards Poseidon. I mean Athena is all smarts and strategies while Poseidon is more go-with-the-flow and hope everything comes out okay, which is more my kind of way. As I stepped over to the Poseidon side, I felt warmth spread through my body and I felt oddly… safe?

I joined the group of people on the Poseidon side of the room, which was closest to the windows. I settled myself against the wall, and watched as everyone else chose their sides.

"Well, now that everyone has chosen their sides let's begin. Please send up the first sponsors for your candidate," Mr. Brunner said. Of course everyone on my side looked at me, because they knew that I almost always won debates. Sighing, I approached the front of the room at the same time as another girl did. She was almost as tall as me, just a few inches shy, and she had black hair and electric blue eyes. She seemed to give off electricity, and I mean seriously. It seemed as if there were little sparks shooting off her. I didn't know her name, but I recognized her as the girl who sat in the back of the room and never said a thing.

"Well ladies, I think we will start with… Jennifer," Mr. Brunner began, glancing at the electrifying girl with blue eyes. "You have a minute. Begin."

That is when my day went down hill.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:**** Yeah Yeah, I know it's been awhile, but I've finally updated! And just to make up for lost time, her is two updates, the first is rather short but the second is longer!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own!

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**

Confession time: I broke Jennifer's nose.

I know what you're thinking, 'why on earth did you break that poor girl's nose?' Well let me tell you, that girl is no sweet angel. She is a ruthless shark, and plus she attacked me first… a split second after I lunged at her.

All I saw was red, and I just jumped at her, who in turn lunged at me. We met in the middle and crashed down on one another, hands scratching, punching, pinching and slapping the other. We didn't get many good shots in, but she got one deep scratch to my shoulder, completely ripping through my favorite Prepare for World Nom-ination t-shirt. That is what really caused me to punch her in the nose. I mean come on, it's my favorite shirt!

In the end it took two boys to get her away from me and four to drag me away. As the boys held us back, we glared at each other as the last bell rang.

"Well, I'm sorry to put an end to our fun," Mr. Brunner said, trying to lighten the mood. "But I must say it is time to go. Have a great spring break and be prepared to jump right back into our studies. Miss Chase, if you will hang back for a moment."

I groaned, knowing that I was probably going to get a detention and let me tell you, my mom would _not_ be happy about that.

When the boys finally let go of Jennifer and I, Jennifer race out of the room, but not before sending Mr. Brunner a meaningful glance, and a hateful glare at me, which I happily returned. As the boys left the room, I gathered my belongings and made my way to Mr. Brunner's desk.

Mr. Brunner finished wiping down the blackboard, before turning towards me, his eyes piercing mine, almost like he was gazing into my soul.

"You must be very careful what you say and do Miss Chase," he began. "Especially now of all times." And with that he rolled out of the room.

I stared at the empty doorway, confused and irritated. Finally I shook my head, clearing my head. "He is so weird," I murmured.

**Please Review!**

**LYLAS,**

**WiseGirl  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**** Here is the second part to my update!**

**Diclaimer: Still don't own.  
**

A word about my mother, before you meet her.

Her name is Annabeth Chase, and she is the best mom in the world. She doesn't get along extremely well with her parents, but we send them a Christmas card every year and vice versa. She's an architect and is a graduate from Harvard University. An _early_ graduate. But her childhood wasn't as great as her life now, until she met my dad.

I don't remember him, probably because he left my mom, before she found out she was pregnant with me. You might be wondering why she never told my dad about me. Basically it's because he's dropped off the face of the Earth. My mom is positive that he's not dead, and my mom is always right. Trust me on that.

She never got married, which I guess is a good thing, especially since I've heard some pretty wacky stories about stepfathers.

I walked into my apartment and was met with the pleasant aroma of brownies.

"Mom!" I called, dropping my bag behind the door. "I'm home." I walked down the hallway, following the intoxicating scent.

"I'm in the-" Mom started.

"Kitchen," I finished, entering our large kitchen. My mom looked over her shoulder and smiled at me.

My mom can make me feel good just by smiling at me. Her eyes sparkle and are usually full of laughter. Her smile is as warm as hot chocolate (although sahlab, an Egyptian drink almost like hot vanilla, is just as good). She has one streak of gray hair in her curly blonde hair, though she's only in like her thirties!

"How was your day sweetie?" Mom asked.

"We did absolutely nothing," I replied, rolling my shoulder, which was starting to burn, now that the adrenaline from my fight had started to die down.

"What's wrong with your arm?" Mom asked, glancing back at me.

"What? Oh nothing," I said, smiling innocently, while ceasing the rolling of my shoulder.

My mom turned, her stormy grey eyes showing that she didn't believe me.

"Umm… well," I stammered. "We were debating again in Latin and… and… all of a sudden this giant creature jumped through the wall! It was huge! It's head was like a hippo's with the body of a… umm… a poodle! Yeah, a pink poodle! And then it started stomping around the classroom, and it found a box of Cheerios and it just went CRAZY! It was eating the Cheerios and then it found Doritos, and Oreos, and a burrito and some tacos, and oh! Then it found a flock of flamingos and it just started ripping them to shreds! And the flamingos were going NUTS! They were flapping around everywhere like this." I began jumping around the kitchen, spinning around the kitchen's marble island, while flapping my arms. In the middle of my reenactment I looked up at my mom, who was still staring at me with that unbelieving face again. "Umm… yeah, that's what happened."

"Cassandra," my mom said.

"I got into a fight during Latin," I sighed.

My mom shook her head (although she had a small smile on her face). "Let me see," she said, grabbing the First Aid Kit from a cabinet.

I pulled my ripped t-shirt off, leaving me in my tank top, so that my mom could examine my shoulder. Gently my mom began cleaning the cut.

"So what were you debating?" my mother questioned.

"Greek gods. Again," I said.

"Anyone in particular?"

"Yeah," I started. "Athena and Poseidon." I continued talking even though my mom's fingers slowed for a minute. "We had to pick sides, and once we did, a representative from each side had to come up and talk about who they had chosen, so I went up for my group."

"Whose side were you on?" My mom asked hesitantly her fingers slowed even more.

"Poseidon," I answered, just as carefully, and my mom's fingers stopped all together. I glanced over at my mom who had a stunned look on her face.

"What made you pick Poseidon?" my mom asked.

"I don't really know," I started. "I just started thinking about it and I reasoned that Athena is a make a plan and follow it to the T while Poseidon is more of a go-with-the-flow kind of person, like me. So I picked Poseidon."

I glanced back at my mom who had finished working on my shoulder, after starting on it again during my little spiel. My mom was glancing nervously around the kitchen as if she was expecting someone to pop out of the walls.

"What's wrong mom?" I asked gently. She looked at me and I saw something behind her wise eyes. Something other then the laughter, happiness and love that was usually there. Something that looked like… fear?

"Mom, what's the matter?" I asked, and I guess she heard something in my voice, because the look left her eyes and she smiled softly at me.

"Nothing sweetheart," she said lovingly. "Hey, I was thinking that maybe we could go to the beach for spring break. To Montauk." She was trying to distract me, and unfortunately it worked.

"Really? When are we leaving?" I asked excitedly, jumping up.

"Yes really! And I was thinking in maybe an hour," mom said, her smile widening as she stood up. "That is if you think you can be ready by then."

"You bet I'll be ready!" I cried, rushing out the kitchen to my bedroom.

**For some reason, I actually like reviews!**

**LYLAS,**

**WiseGirl  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Next chapter. This story is not going to be all it could have and should have been; it'll be much shorter, but I'm still going to finish it...eventually...

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

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I was practically bouncing in my seat the entire trip, hyped up on brownies and pure excitement. I was feeling great with the wind in my hair and tunes blasting from the radio. I even convinced Mom to stop so we could get some snacks, using the whole "I'm a growing girl" line on her. Yet, she wouldn't let me get a Monster or anything of the sort… she's learning what they do to me… hmm…

As she drove, Mom's face grew brighter and happier, and she had this almost wistful expression which let me tell you, was slightly unnerving. I wondered what she was thinking about… probably Dad… my stomach clenched slightly at the thought of my Dad, and I quickly shook it from my mind, focusing instead on the sky which was turning bluer and clearer the closer we got to the beach.

I absolutely couldn't wait to hit the beach… I just felt at home in the water and the fishes… _The Little Mermaid _was my all-time favorite Disney movie and with good reason too.

Finally, the car moved from asphalt and onto sandy gravel, and when we finally slowed to a halt, nothing stopped me from jumping out of the car and running straight to the water, jeans and all. The second my feet hit the water, I immediately felt the past week of frustrations and this afternoon's fight slip from my mind, focusing entirely on the feel of the water slapping against my legs, the sea breeze in my mussed up hair, and the slimy texture of seaweed and algae between my toes.

I was in heaven.

…..

"Cassie!"

I groaned, reluctantly turning away from my spot on shore just where the water ended. I was buried up to my knees in sand, my hands digging around me. I had left the water not too long ago, although I didn't stray too far. Instead, I had set myself at the water's edge where I set to making a sand castle… although it wasn't really a sand _castle _as much as a sand…community? City perhaps? I may be a teenager, but I was still my mother's daughter.

My Mom was standing farther up one of the dunes, hands on her hips, before the cabin. She had started dinner awhile back and now, she raised her hand, gesturing me to join her. I moaned, not wanting to leave my spot in the sand, but I pushed myself up nonetheless.

Slowly, I made myself up the mounds of sand to where my Mom stood. I looked over my shoulder, mourning the loss of my little sand city as the water swept in, wiping it away, before looking back towards my mom, who smiled softly at me.

"Come on," she urged me, "Do you want a cold dinner?"

"Yes, of course I do!" I informed her, huffing as the dune grew steeper. "Ice cold." Mom snorted and I laughed, not paying attention to where I was stepping…not noticing the broken bottle right where I was about to step until…

"Ow!" I cried, straightening up immediately and clutching at my bleeding foot. I hopped up and down slightly, when the sand beneath me slipped and, stumbling, I fell on my side, rolling all the way back down the dune, moaning and groaning the entire way. I finally crashed to a halt after falling into some underbrush.

Grunting, I wiped the sand from my eyes, hauling myself up onto my knees.

"Cassie?" Mom cried from above, peering precariously over the edge of the dune, the setting sun shining brightly off her blonde hair.

"I'm fine, Mom!" I called up to her, grumbling as I brushed myself off. "But I got to admit: not a big fan of brok-"

"CASSIE, BEHIND YOU!" The pure fear in my Mom's cry had me spinning around, hands out to defend myself, clenched tightly into fists. Mom had taught me at an early age how to throw a punch; she told me every girl should know how to do so, and yet, I knew immediately fists would not be useful at all…

Towering over me dauntingly stood a monster in the simplest form of the word. While its face resembled that of a human, the man's – or was it an animal? – body was morphed into that of a lion, its hair scraggly and long, while its tail – it had a _tail? – _stood at attention, sharp prongs branching off of the skin. Its face was contorted into a fearsome expression, pointed teeth bared and eyes piercing through her.

Before I could react, the man-lion raised its arm, razor sharp claws extending from its paw, which came slashing through the air, catching my jaw line and tearing straight through the skin. I screamed as the force of the attack sent me spilling to the ground, while blood trickled down my face and neck, staining my shirt.

I whimpered, almost pitifully, something very unlike me, my fingers slick with red… my blood… I groaned at the sight, my stomach clenching tightly. '_Where is Mom?' _I thought desperately, pushing myself up onto shaky arms. I tried to push myself away as the monster came closer and closer, standing frightfully over me.

"M-Mom!" I called out in weak desperation, my eyes moving side to side as I searched desperately for something, anything to protect myself with. The creature's leer widened, and it licked its lips eagerly.

"You can't expect Mommy to protect you, young one," the creature hissed, its voice thick with an accent. It leaned closer to me, its rotten breath washing over me. I cringed and tried to pull away, but the lion-man's paws shot forward, pushing my shoulders into the ground, its claws digging into my skin. "And you can't expect Daddy-Dearest to be there for you either, can you?" He cackled grotesquely.

My eyes narrowed as his nails dug into my arm, and I felt a wave of anger surge through me, my vision turning red. Without thinking or perhaps I was thinking just irrationally, I spit in the creature's face. He roared in anger, shaking his head in disgust, his grip loosening ever so slightly. I kicked my legs up and out, catching the monster in the stomach and successfully pushing him off me.

It was his turn to groan in pain, and taking advantage of my freedom, I scurried to my feet, wobbling unsteadily forward, trying to place some distance between me and the creature. Behind me, I heard the monster scramble to its feet, shuffling unevenly in the sand, and I sped up, telling myself that this was simply another track meet and the monster behind me was another one of those girls who always tried to intimidate me before each race. I failed to take into consideration that this beast had four legs while my competitors only had two.

I heard the whistle of the swipe of his claw through the air, catching my shirt and side in its nails, before I was thrown through the air. I landed face first in the water, sputtering and coughing loudly, shaking the water from my hair. I froze for a moment at the sight of my red blood mixing with the water, and I felt myself heave slightly. Desperately, I made to scramble away and out of the water when a heavy weight came crashing down upon my back, and my arms gave out from under me, my head submerged for several moments. All I could see was red in front of me, and this time not from anger, the salt of the water burning into the slashes on my face and side. I thrashed beneath the water, my eyes wide in panic as I tried to breathe, yet the weight of the monster on top of me was too much, and I knew I could do nothing.

I waited for the burn in my lungs and the blackening of my vision as I desperately wondered where on earth my Mom was. Did she leave me? Did she not care? My eyes burned slightly in the salty water, and I blinked frantically trying to clear my vision, not wanting the last thing I saw to be the mixture of my blood and water, red on blue. That's when I noticed the change in my vision and the coloring around me.

Gone was the red and its place was clean water (well as clean as you can get in New York), and I began to notice the loss of the aching in my side, as well as the fact that my vision was as good as ever and my breathing perfectly fine. '_What the hell? I should most definitely be dead right now.'_ The water surged around me, crashing lightly into me, energy beginning to burn within me, my thoughts, for once, clear and rational.

My arm shot back, elbowing my assailant in the side, and somehow, sending him flying off of me. I shot up, gasping and gulping down huge breaths of the sea air. Shaking the water from my hair, I turned to face the monster, sitting up in water. Pushing myself out of the water, I raised my fists to the monster as he too pushed himself up, water dripping from his scraggly mane.

The monster growled and made to charge at me when a flash of blonde hair shot from my side, a blade bright in the setting sun. The body hurled itself into the beast's side, the two sprawling into the water.

"Mom?" I cried, taking a step forward. The creature roared out as my Mom stabbed her blade into its flank, and my mom held on for dear life as it thrashed around.

"Cassie! You need to go!" she screamed, trying to avoid the beast's claws. "Run as fast as you can! Go North until you hit the highway-" she cried out as the creature's claw slashed through her side, blood spilling out of her shirt.

"Mom!" I cried, moving to rush at the creature.

"Cassie, no!" she protested, digging her knife out of the monster and backing away, her hand pressed tightly against her bleeding side. "Run and you'll find a grove of berries at the bottom of a hill. At the top of the hill is a pine tree-" she cried out as the creature scratched her across the face. "Once you're passed the tree you'll be safe!" She shot backwards in an attempt to dodge another blow from the monster while I stood there in shock, not knowing what to do.

"Cassandra, go now!" Mom's voice was firm and held the tone of someone who was not to be reckoned with. I nodded stiffly, turning and running as fast as I could, water splashing under my pounding feet.

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Signing off,

WiseGirl


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except Cassie and the "mysterious" figure.

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My heart was racing and I could hear the pounding of my heart in my ears. My eyes were weak with exhaustion and my legs felt like rubber, but I didn't stop. I kept running, remembering my Mom's voice in the back of my mind, clear among my sporadic thoughts.

I had hit the highway several miles back, just as night set in, the darkness enveloping me, and I had yet to stop. My breath was coming in heavy pants, weak and labored, and my head felt light, but I didn't stop. I had to get help, I needed to. My Mom needed help, and I wasn't going to leave her behind without telling someone, without sending someone to save her.

The sky rumbled with thunder as I wiped at my face, trying to rub the sleepiness from my eyes. "Damn melatonin," I panted under my weak breath. Sure, my track coach had pushed me, he pushed the entire team, but this… this was hell. I had to have run what felt like a hundred miles, although I knew I hadn't actually.

I stumbled over my aching feet, skinning my knee on the asphalt and hissing at the sting of my cut skin. Immediately, my thoughts raced back to the monster and the feel of its claws in my skin. I remembered the feel of the blood seeping through my shirt and sliding down my neck… it all felt so real, and yet… I didn't have a scratch. My face was unmarked, pale white but no cut, and my side didn't ache. Even the blood stain had vanished from my shirt, but… I couldn't have been imagining it… there was a creature, some lion-man _thing_, and it attacked me, and scratched me, almost killed me, and my Mom… my Mom attacked it with a knife…no, not a knife. A dagger. I recognized it from my Latin textbook… how the hell did my Mom, brownie-baking, building designer Annabeth Chase know how to wield a freaking dagger?

Rain had started to fall and as the ground beneath my feet became rocky and rough, I realized that the highway had ended, leading into a dirt road filled with shrubbery that caught at my clothes, pulling at my jeans and scratching my feet. Up ahead was a looming hill and I remembered what my mom said.

"You'll find a grove of berries at the bottom of a hill," she had said and relief filled me. I was almost there. I just had to get through these plants and up that hill and I would be… safe? I shook my head, slowing down as my clothes continued to snag on the bushes. How was being on top of a hill going to protect me from… from that monster? Or whatever else might be out here at night? Immediately, my mind conjured thoughts of terrible, blood-thirsty monsters hidden in the shadows, waiting for me to stumble so that they could drag me away without anyone knowing. After all, with my Mom most likely gone, who could possibly care about crazy Cassie Chase? No one, that's who, no one would know I was gone and no one would care.

I was feeling extreme light-headed as I reached the bottom of the hill, and I knew I was on the verge of passing out from hunger and possible blood loss. Rain poured over me, soaking me through, my hair clumped together scraggly in my face. Weakly, I began my way up the hill, fumbling around on my jelly-like legs, using my hands to help keep myself up. Maybe I was dreaming… maybe that girl from class had knocked me out and I was lying on the floor in Mr. Brunner's room… or maybe, maybe Mom and I crashed on our way to Montauk and this was all just some hallucination from the drugs the paramedics had pumped into me. Or maybe I had finally lost it… it was probably that one…

The next boom of thunder was accompanied by a terrible, animal-cry that had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up with fear. I dared not look behind me, knowing that what I heard crash through the shrubbery below was the beast from the beach. Instead, I used any and all strength I had left in me to pick my feet up and continue up the side of the slippery hill.

As I heard the animal behind me begin to climb up the hill, I imagined Coach V, my track coach, yelling at me to keep moving, to not let my competitors get to me, encouraging me to win. I pushed myself harder, my breath growing more and more ragged with each step.

"Come on little girl," the monster hissed from below me as I slipped in the muddy hill side. It was the beast from the beach, the accent in its voice thick as ever. "I won't hurt you." I grabbed onto the hill to help pull myself up, my legs wobbling under my weight. "Much." I shuddered, using my feet to kick out a rock from the hillside, cheering silently when I heard it collide with the creature's head, an empty thud echoing in the storming night. I hoped that slowed it down.

As the top of the hill came into sight, I scrambled quickly to make it to the top before the monster caught up to me. Alas, exhaustion and fatigue seemed to have set in for within moments of reaching the hilltop, I was thrown to the ground, all the air in my lungs leaving me in a 'whoosh', and I landed gasping for breath. The monster snarled from on top of me, claws dug once more into my shoulders.

"Did you really think you could get away?" it growled, leaning closer to me. Lightning flashed through the stormy skies, lighting up the monster's snarling face which was scratched and bruised. Its yellow eyes were bright and fearful in the night as he leaned closer to me, and I whimpered trying to pull away. With a mighty paw, he swiped at me, nails digging into my face as he slapped me, and I fell motionless, the taste of blood evident in my mouth.

He leaned down, his teeth pressed against my throat, but I did nothing to move away, weak from running and crying. My head lulled from side to side as I prepared to feel the pain of the monster sear through my body. "Foolish child, so much like your father."

My eyes widened for a moment, a flash of lightning bright in my eyes as the beast pulled back preparing to bite into my throat. _'I love you, Mom.' _I shut my eyes tightly, praying that the pain would be quick… that my death would be quick when a high pitched whistling filled the air, and the beast straddling my body roared in pain, pulling away from my throat. Another whistle and the lion-man fell from my body, the claws on its back paws scratching my thighs.

Precariously, I allowed my eyes to open a pinch, searching in the rain for the monster. Its shadowy mass stood out from the dark gray clouds. My eyes widened as I took in the beast clawing at its mangy chest where two arrows protruded, blood oozing out of the wounds. It roared in pain as it managed to pull one of the arrows from its heaving chest, and I moaned at the sight of the blood pouring from its body, gagging slightly at the metallic scent of blood that seemed to spread through the air.

"Oi! Girl, come on!" I turned onto my side, peering up ahead of me towards the source of the voice. A lean figure stood up beside a great pine tree, an arrow notched in a bow, aimed and ready to fire. The figure jerked its head, motioning for me. "Quickly!" I glanced over my shoulder at the beast which was attempting to pull out the second arrow before scrambling to my feet. Something was wrong with my ankle, probably from being thrown to the ground but I managed to stagger hurriedly towards the figure who kept their attention on the groaning beast behind me.

I was barely a yard away from the bow-and-arrow clad figure when the creature roared again. My savior of sorts paused for a moment, contemplating what to do before dropping their stance and extending a hand to me.

"Hurry up!" they cried, glancing over my shoulder as the pounding of paws in muddy dirt resounded through the night air mixed with the claps of thunder. I didn't bother looking behind me, knowing I would see the beast rushing towards me. Instead, I pushed myself forward, grasping the calloused hand of my unknown companion. The figure tugged me forward, urging me to move quickly as the air behind us filled with the heavy pants of the creature.

I was exhausted and bleeding and sick and tired of running around. I wasn't sure if I would make it to wherever the boy- the figure must have been a boy; tall, low voice, calloused hand-was dragging me too. He must have realized how weak I was or maybe he was being heroic or something, because he pushed me forward towards the great pine tree, ensuring I was safely propped up against the tree, my arms wrapped around the rough trunk, before turning to face the beast which was just feet away from us. I expected him to raise his bow and shoot another arrow, but he merely stood there, staring the monster down as it charged at us.

"What are you doing?" I cried above the winds and rain. "Shoot it!"

He ignored me, simply looking, almost nonchalantly, at the lion-man who roared greedily at the sight of the boy, hungry for blood and perhaps justice. The muscles of its legs contracted as it made to lunge, and I screamed a protest as the beast jumped at the boy, thunder and wind roaring around us, rain pouring down creating little rivers up to my ankles all around us.

Perhaps it was lightning or a miracle from God, because one second the lion-man was lunging at the boy at the next he was being fried with a bright zap, shaking from jolts of electricity rushing through its body, its mouth opened in an agonized roar, eyes wide. It began to quiver and then shimmer, before, with a bright flash of yellow gold light, the beast exploded into sparkling dust.

I stared at the pile of dust which was quickly being washed away in the rain, my mind racing with everything that just happened. The boy casually dusted at the front of his army jacket, before turning to me. My eyes must have been as wide as saucers as I started at the now muddy dust pile before back at the boy.

"Wh-What just happened?" I stuttered partly from shock and partly from the cold. "Whe-Where did that-that thing go?"

The boy chuckled. "Why?" he asked, "Want it to come back?" I shook my head shakily, my hair slipping in front of my face. "Yeah, didn't think so." He moved closer now until he was just in front of me, limply holding onto his arrows and bow.

Lightning lit up the sky, illuminating his features: blonde hair, darkened from the rain, warm yet mischievous brown eyes, soft lips… I shook these thoughts from my mind as he moved even closer, placing a hand on the trunk right next to my head.

"Now what exactly are you doing out here? At night?" he asked, studying my face and torn clothes with interest. "You don't look like any camper I know."

"C-Camper?" I asked weakly, the adrenaline of the last few hours beginning to fade away. I could feel the ache in my legs and side begin again, my face stinging as blood trickled once again down my face. "What do you mean? What kind of camper?" The boy stared at me, taking my appearance in once more, before one side of his mouth quirked upwards.

"Ah, another newbie," he proclaimed leaning closer to me to examine the side of my face with his fingers. I pushed him away.

"Newbie?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing slightly in dislike. "What gives you the right to call me a newbie?" He chuckled, his nose crinkling in a slightly adorable way…

"Sweetie," he started, ignoring my growl, "what doesn't give me the right?"

Oh-ho, I was going to have so much fun tearing this bugger apart. I was almost feeling like my old self.

"Listen buddy," I began, pushing myself off the tree trunk. "I don't know who you think you are, but-" I broke off as I became light-headed and woozy. I wobbled slightly on the spot. "-but, I sw-swear-" I never even finished my sentence before my vision grew dark and I felt my legs give out from under me.

Strong arms caught me and the last thing I remembered was the sky opening up to reveal the bright moon overhead.

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****Signing off,

WiseGirl


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **Here's the next chapter. I admit, it's not my best, but here it is. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Anything you recognize belongs to Rick Riordan.

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My head throbbed and my legs ached, and I wished I was still asleep. Alas, my body refused to relax and fall back into a dream state. Perhaps it was the clanging of metal or the loud cheerful voices of people from outside, but I knew I was up for good. Wearily, I peeled my eyes open, blinking in the sunlight that seemed to be streaming in from all around me. I raised myself up onto my elbows, the muscles in my side clenched together most unpleasantly, and I hissed under my breath, weakly using one of my gauze wrapped hands to apply pressure to the ache.

I appeared to be in an infirmary of sorts for all around me were kids my age, perhaps a little older or younger, sprawled on cots. Tending to the various cuts, bruises and burns of the teens were what appeared to be men with… goat legs? I blinked several times, waiting to see if the furry hinds would disappear but to no avail.

"I must be dead," I breathed, my eyes wide and my forehead scrunched together. "I'm dead."

"Not likely," a voice spoke from my left, lingering over sounds from in and around the infirmary. I turned my head slowly and groaned when I saw the figure leaning against the post of the hospital tent.

It was the boy from last night, the one with the bow and arrow who was rather attractive… alright, he was actually fairly attractive. He was tall and lean, dressed in a blinding orange shirt and dark blue jeans. While his eyes and large, slightly goofy smile were warm, the quiver slung over his shoulder was slightly unnerving, especially seeing as I faintly remembering him shooting off two well-aimed arrows last night. Or at least, I presumed it was him seeing as no one else was on that hill last night. Shaking these thoughts from my mind, I set my face in a grimace, this time not from the pain.

"Oh great," I said blandly. "It's you." I pursed my lips together and turned away from him, stretching my arm across my chest.

"Oh, don't sound so sad to see me, newbie," he begged mockingly, moving from off the tent post to seat himself at the edge of my bed, nearly crushing my feet in the process. "I did save your life after all." I pulled my legs away disgruntledly, ignoring the screaming muscles as I did so.

"First of all," I started, pointing a finger to the goat-men behind me, "what the hell are those? Second, I was doing fine on my own, and lastly," I turned a threatening finger at the boy, who looked at accusing finger in boredom, "don't call me newbie." The blonde snorted before laughing heartedly, his hands on his knees and everything.

"Alright," he chortled through his chuckles, "well, those," he said, gesturing all around him, "are satyrs. They used to go out into the world searching for others like us, but they haven't done that in a long time." He held up a hand before I could break in." And as for you having everything under control," he trailed off, laughing. Again.

"If you were fine, what was I thinking? I mean, you only had manticore with his teeth on you ready to rip your throat out! You would've been fine!" He laughed again, and I glowered in return, wishing I could set his eyebrows on fire. He paused for a moment. "And I won't call you newbie anymore, alright sweetie?" My eyes flashed dangerously at the pet name, but he was too busy laughing again to see the roaring flames.

"Listen, I don't know who you think you are," I began, leaning forward dangerously, "but-" he cut me off again with gasp, taking my hand in his. I tugged desperately on my fingers, wanting them out of his grasp but he didn't release them.

"Oh, excuse me," he gasped, placing his other hand over his chest. "Where are my manners?" He stood up abruptly, his calloused fingers still grasped around my hand. He swept his down with a flourish before he bowed dramatically, lowering his lips to my knuckles. My stomach erupted into flutters, and I looked side to side, praying that no one was paying us any attention. "Riley Jordan," the teen concluded, pulling away from my fingers. He smirked slightly. "At your service, sweetie."

I jerked my hand from his, wiping it dramatically across the coarse blanket before swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. I stared him dead in the eye, anger rolling off me. I had met guys like this before, sure maybe not as attractive, but I knew his type, and there was no way in hell I was going to put up with him.

"Well, _Riley," _I hissed through clenched teeth, "as I was saying, you have no idea what I've been through in the past day, so how about you shut your trap and never, and I really mean _never_ touch me or call me sweetie again, got it?" He merely smirked, leaning closer to me.

"Well, what am I supposed to call you?" he asked, his eyes bright with laughter. "I don't exactly know your name do I, babe?" His eyebrows would've been on fire in moments if it weren't for the fact that I don't have super powers. There was no way I was telling him who I was. For all I knew he was crazy... he must be if he thought there were actual _satyrs _in the world. I mean yeah, it _looked _like those men had goat legs, but maybe they were costumes or something. After, satyrs are only myths... right? I shook my head and rolled my eyes and pushed him away from me. He staggered backward slightly before plopping down onto the cot across from me.

I stood up on wobbly legs for a moment, bracing myself on the stand next to my bed, waiting until I could feel my feet before standing up straight. I looked down at my clothes, already dreading the idea of what I must look like. I immediately groaned upon taking in the sight of my frayed and torn top and mud splattered jeans. I threw my hands up in the air, grumbling to myself as I pulled several hair ties off my wrists and wrapped them around my mussed up hair. I froze at the sight of my fingers, staring at the scratched skin accompanied with the dirt and blood under my nails. I was never a girl to be too concerned about her appearance, but I would be lying if I said that the blood under my nails wasn't unnerving at the very least.

I sighed softly, knowing that Riley was watching my every move. I blinked, taking in the sights and noises around me hesitantly before squeezing my eyes shut tightly, praying that I would wake up in the Montauk cabin with my Mom making breakfast.

"Mom!" I blurted loudly, my eyes shooting open. I turned to face Riley, my eyes now wide with panic. "My Mom, she was at Montauk, and-and that's when we were attacked and that's when that-that thing, what was it you said? A manticore? Anyway, my Mom she was attacked, she told me to go on ahead, and I did. Oh god," I groaned, rubbing my hands over my face as I paced back and forth like a lunatic. I knew I was rambling, but still, my Mom! She needed help!

"We have to get her help! Soon! She could be hurt or bleeding or-or," my voice caught at the thought of her lying dead in a pool of her own blood mixed with the salty seawater. I felt tears well up in my eyes slightly, my stomach churning now at the horrific thoughts. Riley must have sensed the quick change in me for he stood up, moving as though to grasp me by the shoulders shoulders, something that I suspected to be out of character for him. Instead, he stood there awkwardly for a moment.

"We'll we should go talk to Chiron," he stated finally. "He, uh, said he wanted to me you. It's not every day we get some girl crawling across the boundaries with a manticore after her." I nodded, not knowing what else to do. He took a few steps back, grabbing the bow that lay unnoticed by the nightstand of my cot before strolling, almost strutting, to the tent opening. He turned back to me. "You coming or what, babe?"

I nodded again, shaking myself from my frazzled thoughts. I looked around me to see if there was anything I should grab before remembering everything was back at the cabin. Sighing, I followed after Riley, who had stepped outside, holding the canvas up for me. I looked at him suspiciously for a moment, remembering that he wasn't exactly the humblest or sweetest of boys, at least not from what I could tell. Nevertheless, I ducked under his arm, squinting in the bright, natural light that shone immediately down upon me.

I blinked furiously a few times until my eyes grew accustomed to the light, and I paused in my steps, taking in my surroundings. From behind me, I heard Riley drop the canvas over the infirmary opening, walking a few steps until he was beside me.

"It's something, isn't it babe?" I ignored him staring at the teens all around me, running back and forth, laughing and calling out to each other, although I didn't miss the flirty waves he seemed to be receiving from some... alright, _a lot _of the girls. Pulling myself away from those thoughts, I focused all of my attention upon the woodland grounds and the teens around me. It would've looked like any other camp had it not been for the mountain in the distance which seemed to spew lava and the fact that every camper's hand was clasped around a sword, dagger, bow-and-arrow, or… javelin? Add on that there were… satyrs and what appeared to be winged horses stationed around the camp… I must have hit my head really, _really _hard.

I could have, and probably would've stood there for the rest of the day, maybe the entire week, simply soaking in everything that was going on around me, if Riley hadn't nudged me with his elbow. I winced, glaring at the boy who in turn simply smirked, raising his arm now in a gentlemanly fashion, as though he expected me to take his arm.

"Accompany you to the Big House, babe?" he questioned, his voice taking on that of high-class airs. I raised an eyebrow, staring at him until he dropped his arm, shrugging slightly. "It's this way," he announced, his shoulders scrunched together in an almost hesitant and timid way, as he gestured with his hands to the left. I nodded, narrowing my eyes slightly, before taking a few steps that way.

"Just so you know," I said, turning to face him for a moment. "If you keep calling me babe, I will kick your ass." He chuckled.

"I'd liked to see you try," he laughed, smirking brightly. I stared at him, my eyes never leaving his, and he froze, obviously seeing just how serious I was, for the smile upon his face dropped quicker than I thought possible. He was scared.

He should be.

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**AN: **Questions? Concerns? Feel free to review or send me a PM. Want to know more about the characters in this story? Check out my profile (near the top) to find out how.

Signing off,

WiseGirl


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **Here ya go.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing you recognize.

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To say the things I saw weren't astound would be a lie. All around me, kids were sword fighting, climbing a lava sprouting mountain, racing _trees…_ it all some kind of messed up dream. A dream which featured my Latin teacher, which I can assure you, does not happen very often. In fact, it never happens.

"Mr. Brunner?" I was sure my eyes were deceiving me. I simply couldn't grasp the concept of my teacher seated before a table on the deck of sky blue house playing cards with what appeared to be an undersized walrus in a leopard track suit. I stopped abruptly at the foot of the steps, staring with wide eyes at my teacher. Riley looked at me from over his shoulder before continuing up the steps, flopping down into a lawn chair and sprawling out in the cool shade. He crossed his arms and snuggled into his seat, closing his eyes with a contented sigh.

"Ah, Cassandra," Mr. Brunner greeted, a warm smile spread across his face as he looked up from his hand. He raised a weathered hand, gesturing for me to come towards him and the walrus-man. "Please, join us." I hesitated for a moment, because it wasn't often that I ran into a teacher while on break and to be honest, I wasn't exactly sure how I was supposed to treat them. Was I supposed to speak to them formally like how I should at school or was it more like friend of the parents? Mr. Brunner had always been a rather relaxed teacher but still… he was a _teacher_.

Slowly and cautiously, I made my way up the porch steps. I thought of standing respectfully, you know back straight arms at the sides and all that, but I decided to channel whatever remained of the real me, choosing to instead lean against the railings of the porch, bracing myself against my arms. Mr. Brunner smiled up at me from his seat.

"Well, I do hope you are feeling better," he began, peering at the cards in his hand before setting a card down. "I must say it was quite a surprise when Riley here carried you into the infirmary. Gave us all a shock, wouldn't you say Mr. D?" He looked precariously at the man sitting across from him.

"Yes, it was terrible," the leopard suited man agreed in the most bored tone I've heard in my life, and let me tell you, my classes are the most boring thing ever. He didn't even look up from his hand, staring intently at the cards.

Mr. Brunner smiled, turning slightly to give me a once over. "Do you know how to play Pinochle?" he asked brightly, gesturing to the card game before him. I raised an eyebrow looking at the set-up of the game, before shaking my head slowly. I still didn't understand exactly what he was doing here, at a camp with…satyrs…

"Ah, yes, well," Mr. Brunner nodded, "I am sure you will be a champion at it in no time. Your mother was when she was at camp." That certainly shook me from my daze.

"My m-mother?" I stuttered. "My Mom went to camp here?" I looked over my shoulder at the surrounding trees, the clanging swords, the kids playing volleyball… it didn't seem like the kind of place my mom would be, but for some reason, the idea of her being here seemed to work…

Mr. Brunner looked up in surprise. "Of course she did!" he proclaimed, laughing as though her question was absurd. "Where else would she have gone?"

I looked at him. "For camp? I don't know, I mean it's not like there are hundreds of summer camps in New York alone." My teacher looked me in the eye, all laughter gone, now replaced with an awkward seriousness. Riley even made the attempt to open his eyes to watch us, but only succeeded in squinting with one eye open. Mr. D took no notice of us, but I did see him trying to catch a glimpse of Mr. Brunner's cards.

"Cassandra, surely you've noticed that this isn't like every other camp," he spoke slowly, watching my face closely. "Your mother must have told you about this camp." His eyebrows were scrunched together as he tried to gage my reaction.

"Um, no actually," I informed him bluntly, crossing my arms. "In between designing buildings and being attacked while on vacation, I'm afraid she wasn't able to spare a minute to tell me stories about her summer camp. I'll be sure to have her tell me all of her summer fun tales the next time I see her.

"Oh, and speaking of being attacked while on vacation," I continued, my voice growing louder and stronger and thus much more irritated, "Yeah my Mom, who you seemed to know, and I were freaking attacked and almost mauled to death by some creature on the beach. Now, I know this might not be a big concern of yours, but I haven't exactly heard from her since this attack. So just wondering because she is after all my mother, but uh, any idea if she's, oh I don't know… alive?"

My breathing was slightly ragged from the anger boiling up inside of me. It wasn't often that I snapped at a teacher, in fact it had only happened once or twice… okay maybe three times, but when I snapped, I snapped. Hard. Usually the teacher I snapped at would either treat me like a three year old for the rest of the year or avoid me like the plague, but I have to hand it to Mr. Brunner. He didn't even flinch, although I was worried that his face may stay in that same expression for the rest of his life.

"Cassandra," he said softly, as though he was in a library and not the front porch of some summer home-esque house. "You're a very bright girl, something which you've gotten from your mother. That however is not as important as where your mother received her brilliance. Tell me, what do you know about your grandmother?"

"That's not an answer, Mr. Brunner," I said forcefully, stepping forward. "I asked if you knew what happened to my mother. I frankly couldn't care less about a grandmother I've never met, something that seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life."

"And why do you think you've never met your grandmother, or any extended member of your family?" Mr. Brunner continued, turning back to the card game at hand. He examined the board before placing a few cards down.

"What is this, a therapy session?" I demanded, my hands on my hips. "I want to know about my mother." I made sure to enunciate the last word, forcing out the syllables slowly and deliberately.

No one said anything for a moment, and the air was filled with an awkward silence, broken only by the sounds of campers on the grounds behind us. I sighed heavily, rubbing my forehead tiredly.

"I honestly don't, Mr. Brunner," I admitted. "I don't why I've never met my Mom's parents, but it doesn't really matter. Do you want to know why?" I didn't wait for him to say anything. "It's because my Mom is the only family that I need right now, she's the only family that's always been there for me, so I would really like to know where she is and if she's," I swallowed, "alive."

Mr. Brunner looked up now, smiling mournfully. My stomach clenched slightly. "We have not received any word from your mother, but she's resourceful and careful, and I do hope she's okay." I nodded wearily, my face falling, and I looked towards the ground, my hair falling in front of my face. "And who your family is does matter, especially in this instance."

I looked at him through strands of my hair. "And why is that?"

"It matters because you're grandmother, your mother's mother, is a god. A Greek goddess to be specific," Mr. Brunner divulged to me. "Your grandmother is Athena, goddess of wisdom and strategy. I must inform you Cassandra that the Greek gods are very much alive."

I couldn't help myself. I snorted before laughing loudly. "I'm sorry, I may have it my head once or twice Mr. Brunner, but uh, I'm pretty sure my grandmother is not a goddess of anything." I laughed again, clutching at my sides. "As for the gods still being alive, you must be kidding!" I laughed, waiting for Mr. Brunner to join me, even Riley would do. Neither one did. My laughter faded away as Mr. Brunner simply looked at me. "R-Right?"

Mr. Brunner looked back at his cards. "Well, we do have one in our presence, why not ask him?"

My eyes widened and I turned slowly to look at Riley, who smirked from his slouched position in the lawn chair.

"Not me lovey, sorry to disappoint," he cracked. I glared at him ignoring the fact his eyes were closed, before turning back to the card table. If it wasn't Mr. Brunner and it most certainly wasn't Riley (I mean, yeah he's attractive but not god-like) than that left… My eyes moved to Mr. D, who was slurping on a can of Diet Coke, a can which hadn't been on the table moments before.

My jaw hung open for a moment. "You're a god." A deaf man could have head the doubt in my voice.

"Yes, girl, I am," he answered boredly, not even looking up from his hands which seemed to be the most important thing on the face of the planet to him.

"You?" That got his attention. He looked up now, his eyes bright, and I could tell he was on the verge of killing me. His eyes were filled with fire, and I swore I could hear the screams of crazed men fill the air around me. I swallowed, staring into his eyes a moment longer.

"Do you doubt me?" he asked quietly, fingering the edges of the playing cards. I shook my head slowly, and the screams grew quiet as the fire died down in Mr. D's eyes, replaced instead with a cool purple. He turned away slowly, setting several cards down on the table.

"You're Dionysus," I said softly, taking a step back. "The god of wine."

He shot me a look one that clearly read 'duh'.

"Thank you child for telling me something I already knew," he shot Mr. Brunner a scathing look. "You said this one was smart."

"She's the daughter of Annabeth Chase, of course she's intelligent." I couldn't help but smile at that. Yep, he certainly knew my mom.

…..

Mr. Brunner decided it was time for me to see the camp in all of its glory shortly after our conversation. Partly because Mr. D chose to have a temper tantrum after losing his card game and partly because he felt the need to stand and reveal that he was in fact part horse, or a centaur to be politically correct. He thought it would be best if Riley took me away before I passed out again. I grudgingly agreed, making sure to maintain my distance from the boy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly okay with the idea of walking around near a beach with a very attractive boy. But when that boy is Riley, even if he is attractive, he's still too cocky for his own good. Everywhere he went girls practically swooned at his feet, blushing and giggling like idiots. It was sickening; I honestly thought I might be sick.

Riley, perhaps sensing the nausea I was feeling, finally led us away from the love-struck girls and towards a dock on the beach. It was the afternoon and the sun was almost blinding. It felt like heaven on my skin as I braced myself against the dock railing. I sighed, almost in contentment, and I felt Riley lean against the railing as well.

"So, if this camp really is for the mortal children of the gods," I began slowly, staring out of the water. "Whose son are you?"

Riley smirked, turning so he was facing the water with me. He raised a tan arm and pointed at the blazing sun. "That's my old man."

"A burning ball of gas," I asked bluntly. "That explains the ego, I guess."

"Apollo," Riley contradicted gruffly. "God of the sun, music, archery, poetry, prophecy,-"

"And egos?" He looked at me grumpily from the corner of his eye and I couldn't help but smile.

"Aren't you a little smarty pants, Miss Daughter of a Daughter of Athena?" he teased me, and I could hear the grouchiness in his voice. Obviously I had struck a chord with the ego jokes..

"So, if I am the daughter of a demi-god, does that make me a quartam-god?"

"It basically makes you whatever you want to be, love," he conceded, smirking at the face I made. I elbowed him in the side in retaliation. Hard.

"Ow!" he cried, clutching his side in pain. He bent over, hugging his stomach as he groaned. "That hurt!"

"I told you I would kick your ass if you called me that," I reminded him smugly, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's your own fault." He looked up at me through his bangs, and I forced myself not to flush.

"No, you said you would kick my ass if I called you sweetie, _love_," he elaborated, "and I most definitely called you love." I pinched my arm to refrain myself from smacking him. He goes from semi charming and pleasant to very annoying and crude in moments. Was his father the god of mood-swings as well?

"Listen buddy," I started stepping forward, "let's get one thing straight-" Riley broke in, straightening up to his full height and stepping closer to me, inches between us.

"You know you start a lot of your lectures that way," he announced. "It makes them seem rehearsed and bland. You should work on that." I raised a finger, my eyes flashing dangerously.

"You and I are not friends. Only people whom I considered to be my friends are allowed to call me anything besides Cassie. Since you are not my friend, you can only call me Cassie," I ordered him, poking him in his (firm, muscly, oh god… gods?) chest, enunciating each word. "Do you understand or would you like me to sing it to you or perhaps recite it in iambic pentameter?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I am kind of bored and music would be very ni-"

The waters surged beneath our feet, splashing up onto the dock as my eyes narrowed fiercely. I could practically feel the ocean inside of me, begging to be released so as to crash over and pull this boy away. The wind picked up slightly, pulling at my ragged clothes and stringy hair, and Riley stepped back an inch, his eyes wide with confusion and what I thought to be a trace of fear.

"Alright, yeah, sure, Cassie," he agreed, nodding his head shakily, his lips pressed together in reluctant defeat. "We are just friends so you are just Cassie. There's nothing else. With your name, I mean, you're just Cassie. And there's nothing between us either." He was beginning to ramble. "I mean there could be something, but no we are just friends. That's all. Just friends." His eyes were wide and he stared nervously at the wood beneath his feet, obviously fearing the possibility of the dock being swept away by the unusually angry waters.

It was actually rather funny to see the tough, cocky Riley squirm, funny and satisfying, and I almost began to tease him when a loud cry rose up from the camp, and I turned, looking curiously bawards the Big House.

"What was that?" I asked stepping towards the edge of the dock. Below me, I could hear the water begin to calm itself as I grew more and more distracted, the wind letting up slightly. Slowly, I began to walk back to the camp site, ignoring Riley who was muttering quietly to himself, trying to desperately to figure out what the heck had just happened with me and the water.

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**AN: **I wasn't sure where I was going with this chapter but here it is. Hope you enjoyed it. There's also a link to the characters bios on my profile, so check that out if you want.

Signing off,

WiseGirl


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